Apparatus for transplanting trees.



N0. 636,842. Patented Nov. l4, I899. D. RALSTON. APPARATUS FORTRANSPLANTING TREES.

(Applicgtion filed Aug. 25, 1899.)

2 Sheets-Sheet (No Model.)

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No. 636,842. Patented Nov. l4, I899. D. RALSTON.

APPARATUS FOR TRANSPLANTING TREES.

(Applicationfiled Aug. 25, 1899.) (No Modem 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

WITNESSES [NV NTOR I 14 W wJWu f a l Attorney THE NOREIS PCI'ERS (30.,PHOTD-UIHQ, WASHINGTON, O- C.

UNITED STATES FFICE.

PATENT DAVID RALSTON, OF ASBURY PARK, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR OF TWO-THIRDS TO JAMES M. RALSTON AND EDWIN N. RALSTON, OF SAME PLACE.

APPARATUS FOR TRANSPLANTING TREES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 636,842, dated November14, 1899.

Application filed August 25, 1899. Serial No. 728,454. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, DAVID RALSTON, of Asbury Park, in the State of NewJersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Apparatusfor Transplanting Trees; and I do hereby declare the following to be afull, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will'enableothers skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use thesame.

My invention relates to an apparatus for transplanting trees; and itconsists in a wheeled vehicle carrying power devices for elevating thetree with its roots and attached soil from its original bed and meansfor supporting the tree in an inclined position while eing rem oved.

' My invention further consists in the parts and combinations of parts,as will be more fully described, and pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a .view in side elevation ofthe apparatus embodying my invention, showing a tree thereon in positionfor transportation. Fig. 2 is a plan view of same, and Fig. 3 is a viewin vertical longitudinal section.

A represents a strong heavy body mounted on the wheels B, the frontwheels of which are journaled on an axle secured to the body of thevehicle by an ordinary fifth-wheel, so that the vehicle thus formed maybe readily turned and manipulated. Secured to the front end of the bodyA are the upright standards O, carrying the drum D. This drumD isjournaled on a suitable support carried by the standards 0 and ispreferably provided with a concaved face, which tends to hold or guidethe tree-trunk to a central position thereon. Secured within slots inthe standards and above the drum D are the pulleys E, over which theropes or cables F pass. The outer free end of each rope or cable ispreferably provided with a hook a, while the inner ends of said ropes orcables are attached to the cross-head G, mounted on the inclinedguideway H. This guideway H preferably consists of two heavy timbers 12,secured at their front ends to the bolster d and at their rear ends tothe rear sill c of the frame or body A. Secured to the top face of thetimbers b are the metal plates e, which latter overlap the inner facesof the timbers b and enter slots in the ends of cross-head G. Thiscross-head G is provided centrally with a female-threaded opening toreceive the longitudinal screw I, which latter is mounted at its rearend in a bearing formed in the rear sill c of the body or frame A. Thisscrew I is provided at a point immediately in front of the sill c with agroove 9, adapted to receive the latch h, pivoted to the front face ofsaid sill c. When this latch is in engagement with the screw, the latteris retained against longitudinal movement. Hence it will be seen that bydisengaging the latch from the screw the latter can be withdrawn forrepairs or removal. The rear outer face of the sill c is provided with areinforcing or bearing plate a, against which the loose collar 70 on thestem of the screw bears when the screw is under strain, thus relievingthe sill proper from the wear that would otherwise fall thereon. Securedto the outer end of the screw is the pinion m, and pivotally mounted ona bearing secured to the rear face of the sill c is the smaller pinionn, meshing with the pinion m on the screw-shaft. The smaller pinion n ispreferably provided with an angular shank or shaft for the attachment ofa crank by which the screw may be turned.

To operate the device, the roots of the tree to be removed andtransplanted are first separated from the surrounding soil, the earthcovering the roots remaining undisturbed. The ends of the ropes orcables are then made fast to the roots of the tree or to arope which hasbeen previously passed around the roots and the soil adhering thereto,after which the screw is turned in a direction to draw the cross-headdown the inclined guideway, thus elevating the tree sufficiently for theroots thereof to clear the ground, the top of the tree being steadied inthe meantime by the drum, with which it moves in contact, and byguy-ropes, which have been previously secured to the trunk of the tree.After the roots have been elevated clear of the ground the tree istilted so as to bring the trunk thereof onto the drum D. The tree maythen be secured in its inclined position, with its weight on the drum,by the guy-ropes, previously referred to, or the tree may be drawn stillfarther inward until its trunk or branches rest on the elevatedcross-bar 0, which, as shown, is secured to the standards 1), locatedover and adjacent to the rear wheels of the apparatus. I prefer,however, to always have the preponderance of weight in front of the drumD, so that when depositing the tree in a new location the latter willslide from the wagon by its own weight. After the tree has been placedon the apparatus as above explained the apparatus is moved by horses orotherwise and placed with its front end adjacent to the hole into whichthe tree is to be placed. By now turning the screw in the oppositedirection and slackening up on the guy-ropes the tree gradually settlesdown into its position and can be supported by the guy-ropes until ithas been properly set and made secure in the ground.

WVith this device I have successfully moved a number of trees from eightto twelve inches in diameter with the aid of four men, one at eachguy-rope and two at the screw; but by multiplying power at the screwtrees of the size above referred to can be quickly transplanted by threemen with the aid of a single team of horses.

It is evident that changes in the construction and relative arrangementof the several parts might be made without avoiding my invention, andhence I would have it understood that I do not restrict myself to theparticular construction and arrangement of parts shown and described;but,

Having fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is

1. In an apparatus for transplanting trees, the combination with a bodymounted on wheels,of standards secured at one end of said body, a drumsecured to said standards, a movable cross-head, means for actuating thecross-head and ropes or cables secured to the cross-head and passingbeyond the drum, substantially as set forth.

2. In an apparatus for transplanting trees, the combination with a bodymounted on wheels, of standards secu red to said body near one endthereof, a drum supported between said standards, a guideway located inrear of the drum, a cross-head mounted on the guideway, a screw foractuating the cross-head and ropes or cables connected to thecross-head, substantially as set forth.

3. In an apparatus for transplanting trees, the combination with a frameor body mounted on wheels, of standards secured to said body near oneend thereof, a concave-faced drum carried by said standards, a movablecr0ss-head located in rear of the drum, means for moving saidcross-head, and ropes or cables attached to the cross-head and passingover pulleys carried by the drum-supporting standards, substantially asset forth.

4. In an apparatus for transplanting trees, the combination with avehicle-body, upright standards secured to the same and near one end, aconcave-faced drum supported by and between said standards, and a pulleyin each standard, the said pulleys being in a plane above the drum of aguideway, a cross-head moving on said guideway, means for moving saidcross-head and ropes or cables attached to said cross-head and passingover the pulleys in the standards, substantially as set forth.

5. In an apparatus for transplanting trees, the combination with avehicle-body, upright standards and a drum carried by and between saidstandards, of a guideway, a cross-head upon said guideway, a screwmounted in the rear sill of the vehicle-body and engaging afe1nale-threaded opening in the cross-head, a latch for locking thescrew against displacement and ropes or cables secured to the crosshead,substantially as set forth.

6. In an apparatus for transplanting trees, the combination with avehicle-body, an inclined guideway carried thereby, a cross-head mountedto slide on said guideway, a screw passing through the rear sill of thevehiclebody and engaging female threads in the cross head, a collar onthe screw and a reinforcingplate on the rear sill against which saidcollar bears, of standards located in advance of the cross-head, a drumcarried by and between said standards, pulleys carried by said standardsin a plane above the drum and ropes or cables secured to said cross-headand passing over the pulleys, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I have signed this specification in the presence oftwo subscribing Witnesses.

DAVID RALSTON.

Witnesses:

DAVID HARVEY, Jr., EDW'ARD C. WYCKOFF.

